The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-26
L0UISVILLE'S BIG FIRE.
The Loss on the Burned Tobacco Warehouses
Expected to Reach About Half a Million.

LOUISVILLE, KY, June 25-The most de-
structive confiagration that has occurred here in
years broke out in the tobacco quarter at 135
o'clock this morning The entire square between
Main and Market, and Ninth and Tenth streets
was the scene of the fire. and two acres of build
ings. with their contents. were lost The loss is
estimated at fully half million dollars, and
the insurance cannot be obtained for
weeks yet The papers of the various
firms are in the safes which are mixed
up with the debris. These will have to be re-
covered, and the 5, 900 hogshead of tobacco de-
stroyed checked up before the accurate figures
are known. The box from which the alarm was
turned in was defective, and as a result the
flames were almost beyond control when the
gines arrived. The. fire was incendiary, it is
thought. 1t broke out in the middle of the
block. at the rear end OF the Market-street L of
the Boone warehouse. There were no lights
fire of any kind from which the flames could have
started. The flames spread with fearful rapidity.
The Banner tobacco warehouse, and the Saw
yer, Wallace & Co. warehouse, both fronting
Main street, soon caught fire and were quickly
enveloped in flames. The three warehouses
mentioned occupy nearly the whole square, and
all were closely packed with hogsheads Of to-
bacco. The Sawyer, Wallace 81 Co. house is
branch Of the big New York firm. The fremen
could do very little against the great odds. The
heat was intense, and the infiammable material
entirely too far beyond control. All that
could be done to save the adjacent resi-
dences and business blocks.
A vast crowd of people quickly assembled in
the scene. The families living in the square of
Market street were greatly frightened They ex-
cItedly threw their furniture and household
effects on the pavement and in the streets, fear
ing q total wreck by fire. No lives were lost,
though several narrow escapes were had. Saw
yer. Wallace e Co.'S warehouse, No 600
Main street. owned by Mr.. Henry
Glover. 1t occupied 1871 feet front on
Main street, and 210 feet deep. 1t
solidly built brick building, with metal
roof, the several departments comprising an i'm
mense structure, and was valued at 500, 900. 1t
is partiallysinsured In it were 2, 400 hogsheads
of tobacco worth from $120, 900 to 1925. 900. All
of the tobacco was entirely destroyed The
stock was we'll insured. The Boone warehouse
was owned by Thomas 81. Glover and valued at
about SIS. 900. It contained about 800 hogs
heads of tobacco all of which was consumed.
This tobacco was worth from 1920. 900 to $685.
600; partially insured on both buildings and to-
bacco.
The Banner warehouse was owned by B. NJ.
Parrish & Co. 1t was valued at 81 900, and be-
loneed to an undivided estate. It contained
about five hundred hogsheads of tobacco, valued
at from $40, 900 to $45, 900.
It is thought that the litigation that will be
brought about by the fire will be something as
founding. Lorillard & Co. and Lgge.t & Myer.
the large tobacco firms of New Yerk and St.
Louis, well others, bought large lot of
tobacco in this market YESTERDAY, and it is said
that they will claim that the sale not
summated, basing thei- claim upon some tech
mir